Furnace



Aflg. 5, 1930. w. T. BARKER 1,771,989

FURNACE Filed April 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY W. T. BARKER Aug. 5, 1930.

FURNACE Filed April 14, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY W. T. BARKER Aug. 5, 1930;

FURNAC E Filed April 14, 1927 4,Shets-Sheet 3 &N

INVENTOR Patented Au 5, 1930 rags ta lest stars @144. .m. Mm

FURNACE Application filed April 14,

lily invention relates to furnaces and more particularly to structures of that character for use in connection with oil stills wherein it is desirable to maintain constant flow of a substantially large volume of hot gases at a uniform temperature in heating relation to the still. y

' Among the problems involved in the oper: ation of. furnaces of this type is the maintenance of suflicient volume of circulating gases at the proper temperature for vaporizing contents of the still without overheating and without oxidation of the still tubes or jacket that would resultfrom the presence of an excessive amount of oxygen in the heat ing medium. In accordance with my invention the volume of the medium is maintained with an economy offuel by recirculating spent gases through the heating chamber .20 with the addition of sufficient hot fresh products of combustion to maintain the proper temperature; the recirculating gases serving not only to provide the desired volume but urther serving to dilute the oxygen which. may pass through the combustion chamber as result of incomplete combustion or oversupply of in the fuel mixture. It is, therefore the object of my invention to provide furnace structure wherein the as spent gasesmay be recirculated through theheating chamber in proper combination with fresh'products of combustion to maintain the constant flow and even Working temperature with economy in fuel consumption and upheep of structural elements. I

in accomplishing this general object I not only provide for effective recirculation of the spent gases but further provide for delivery of the fuel elements in advantageous working condition by utilizing surplus gases for corn ditioning the iuel elements prior totheir delivery to the combustion chamber.

in acco1nplisli',.1g these and other objects of th invention 1 have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: p

1 is a sectional perspective view of a so. furnace embodying my improvements, illu 1927. Serial 'No. 183,732.

trating its adaptability for use in connection with a tubular still. 7 I

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2, Fi 4. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 3, Fig: 2- i Fig. 4t is a horizontal section on the line l-t, Fig. 2. I Referring more in detail to the drawings: 1 and 2 designate side walls, 3 the front wall and 4 the rear wall of a furnace embody ing my improvements and constructed in ac+ cordance with common practice in that they are lined with refractory brick-or like material. 5 designates the furnace floor, prefer ably extending between the side walls front the front to the rear wall, and 6 a roof struc ture extending from the front of the furnace over the floor 5 to about midway of the structure and there merging into the offset portion was 7 of thefront wall, forming a throat 8- through I which the portion 9 of the furnace, llQLGlD afterreferred to as the combustion chamber, communicates with the portion l0;'hereinafter referred to as the heati-ng or still chain,

ber' the latter covered by a roof 11; v

' Located at the forward end of and extend ing transversely across the combustioncham her, at about the vertical center thereof, is an arch 12, supported near its forward edge from the floor 5 by a checkered work 13,-- forming a chamber 14. at the front end of the. combustion chamber; The chamber 1-4: preferably divided by a vertical wall late form separate compartments, each covered by an arched roof section (12), which extends forwardly of a correspondingcheckered worlrportion (13) to form a chamber 16 opening to the front end of the/combustion chain ber 9. I I I I I Extending, transversely below the chamber 1 lis a passageway 17 having communication with the compartments of saidchamber through ports 17' in the furnacefloor. Qp'ening' to each end of the passageway is a duct 18 for supplying; combustion-supporting air to the chamber 14 for delivery tl-irough the checkered wall into the combustion chamber, as will presently be described. l y y Located. within each compartment of the chamber 14 is a burner 19 comprising a manifold 20 to which a hydrocarbon fluid. such as oil or gas, may be delivered through a supply pipe 21, and nozzles 22 leading from the manifolds through the openings in the checkered wall 13 for delivering the hydrocarbon fuel into the combustion chamber for co-mingling with combustion-supporting air passing from the chamber 14 through the wall openings about the nozzles to provide a fuel mixture for combustion within the combustion chamber.

Opening from the upper rear corners of the heating or still chamber are horizontal fiues 23 which extend through the walls of the furnace to the vertical fines 24 in extensions 25 of the furnace structure. The vertical flues 24 open to horizontal fiues 26 in horizontal extensions 27 of the furnace structure and lead to a common stack 28.

Extending transversely beneath the furnace fioor is a passageway or conduit 29, having upturned ends 30 communicating with fan housings 31, which in turn communicate through throats 32 with the horizontal flues 26, the fan housing being removably mounted on the extensions 2? and the throats 32 communicating with the upper portions of the dues 26. Fans 33 are rotatable in the hous ings .31 on shafts 34, journaled in bearings 35, 35 on the ends of the housings and on bases 86' supported by the extensions 27 and connected with motors 37, also mounted on said bases 36.

The passageway 29 has outlet through a checkered wall 38 into a trench 39 that opens through the furnace floor 5 at the rear end of the combustion chamber to deliver spent gases returned through the fines 23 across the line of flow of products of combustion pass ing through the combustion chamber to the heating chamber for recirculation through the heating chamber mixed with fresh proclucts of combustion.

Located in the flues 26, between the ports 82 and the stack 28, are preheaters 40, preferably comprisingclosed, metallic housings 41 and tubes 42. Opening to one end of each housing 41 is a duct 43 for admitting fresh air to the housing about the tubes 42 and opening from the other end of the housing is theduct 18 through which such air after being heated by radiation from the tubes is de livered to the chamber 14 at the front end of the combustion chamber. Impeller fans 44 are provided for forcing air through the preheaters to the chamber 14 and thence to the combustion chamber.

Flow of gases from the fiues 26 to the transverse pa sageway 29 is controlled by dampers 45 in the throats 32, leading to the fan housings 31 and by damp ers 46 in the fan housings at the high pressure side of the fans, providing a double con trol of the spent gas supply to the furnace.

horizontal staclr Flow of surplus gases to the stack outlet is controlled by dampers 47, one in each flue 26 between the relative preheater and the stack. Consequently separate control of supply of gases for recirculation and for stack outlet is provided for each of the fiues 26 and its communicating fan housing, so that equalization of temperature at lateral extremes of the heating chamber maybe effected.

l have illustrated the still employed in connection with the furnace as of tubular type, the tube bundle 48 extending from front to rear through the heating chamber at an inclination and communicating at its respective ends with. drums 49 communicating with the tank 50 which is supported on the roof of the heating chamber. The furnace may comprise suitable sight openings and manholes and other equipment in accordance with ordinary practice but which will not be des ribedin detail as they form no part of the present invention.

In the operation of furnace constructed as described the hydrocarbon element of a fuel mixture. such as oil or gas, is delivered through the burners into the combustion chamber and fre h air delivered through the ducts and prehcaters into the air chamber and thence through the checkered wall about the burner nozzles for co-mingling with the hydrocarbon element to provide a combustible fuel mixture. This fuel mixture is ignited within the combustion chamber and substantially complete combustion produced in the chamber. Products of combustion thus produced are conducted into the heating chamber pass n heating contact with the still. flowii'ie between the tubes. if the still is of the type illustrated. pass the outlet fines at the uppl rear corners of the heating chamber. Flowing through the outlet fines the spent gases pass through the fines leading to the outlet stack. some he h gases being drawn from the stack flu es into the return passageway sucto 'i from the circulating fans. under regulated control by the dampers the flue throats and fan hone and impelled throi h the conduit and through the bheckered wall into the trench and from the trench across the line of flow of fresh products of combustion to the heating chamber. Upon deliverv from the trench the spent gasesco-m is with the fresh products of combustion. formin a substantial. volume of heating medium for recirculation through the heating chamber. T... gases in contact with the still give up their he t to the still to vaporize contents of the still and upon return to the combustion chamber, temper the fresh products of combustion to avoid excessive heats in the still. chamber and have their temperature restored to the proper c gree by the fresh products of coin iustion. Surplus of the spentes over the quantity required. for maintaining a constant volume in the still chamber, passes onthrough the stack three to the preheaters and through the preheatcrs to the stack outlet, the gases passing through i going that i have provided for recirculation of the medium for heating still which is economical in the consumption of fuel and in upkeep of the furnace still elements, in that excessive temperatures and deterioration by oxidation is obviated by promotion of combustion and dilution of any free oxygen that might otherwise affect the still in case of incomplete combustion.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. A furnace of the character described, comprising communicating combustion and heating chambers, a line leading from the heating chamber, a conduit extending transve 'sely beneath the furnace floor and communicating With said flue, 'h parallel to and communicating with said conduit and opening through the furnace floor for delivering flue to thecomlmstion chamber cross the line of flow th' ugifh tl combustion chamber to the heating chamber for re circulating; the flue'gase-s through the heating; chamber mixed with fresh: products of corn bustion, and mea for exhaust g some of the flue gases to maintain the volume of flow through the heating chamber substantially constant.

2. A furnace of the character described. comprising communicmhg combustion. and heating chambers, aflue leadi from the heating chamber, a conduit communicati with said flue, a trench located beneath tnc level of the furnace floor in. communication with said conduit and delivering flue gases upwardly through said floor across the line of flow through thecombustion chamber to the heating chamber for recirculatingthe flue gases through. the heatin chamber mixed with fresh products of combustion, means for exhausting some of the flue gases to maintain the volume of flow through the heating chamber substantially constant, and means for promoting circulation of the gases.

3. In a furnace of the character describe a horizontal combustion chamber, a 'Vti vl. heating chamber in open conmiunication with one end of the combustion chamber, a ti nch arranged transversely beneath the f fioor and opening to the'combustion ch through said floona flue opening from the heating'chamber at a point remote from the combustion chamber, a conduit leading from the flue to the trench, and means in said conduit for drawing gases from the flue and impelling them from the trench'into the combustionchamber to mix the hue gases with fresh products of combustion for circulation through the heating chamber.

a. In a furnace of the character described, a combustion chamber having a horizontal floor and a heating chamber in open communication With the combustion chamber, a flue opening from the heatingchamber, a conduit extending transverselyadjacent the floor'of' the combustion-chamber and communicating with said flue, a trench beneath the level of the furnace floor in communication with said conduit and opening transversely through said floor for delivering flue gases into said combustion chamber across the line of flow through the combustion chamber, and means for inducing flow of gases from the flue through the trench for recirculation through the heating chamber mixed with freshprodnets of combustion. v

5. A furnace of the character described, comprising communicating combustion and heating chambers, an air chamber at the frontend of the combustion chamber having a checkered Wall opening to the combustion chamber, a manifold in the air chamber having branches leading through the openings in said well for delivery into the combustion;

chamber, means forsupplying fluid fuel to the manifold, means for impelling combos tion-supporting air through the chamber and Wallto the combustion chamber for co-minrgling With'said fuel medium to provide a combustible fuel mixture, and means conducting. gases from theheating chamber and delivering the same to the combustion chamber across the line of flow of products of combustion through the combustion chamber to the heat-- inn; chamber for recirculation through the heating chamber mixed With fresh products of combustion.

i so

6. A furnace of the character described,

comprising communicating combustion and heating chambers, an air chamber at the front end of the combustion chamber having: a checkered Wall providing communication between the air chamber and the combustion chamber, a burner in the air chamber having nozzles proj ecting through the Wallopenings for delivery into the combustion chamber, flue leading from the heating chamber, a passageway opening from said flue and de livering' into the combustion chamber across i ii;

the line of flow of products of combustion I for recirculation of flue gases through the heating chamber in combination with fresh products of combustion, a preheater in said flue, andmeans for impelling a flow of fresh air through the preheater and air chamber to the combustion chamber. i

7. A furnace of the character described, comprising communicating combustion and heating chambers, a flue leading from the heating chamber, an air chamber at the front end of the combustion chamber comprising a checkered wall through which the air chamber communicates with the combustion chamber, a burner in said air chamber having nozzles extended through the checkered wall for delivery into the combustion chamber, a preheater in said fiue, means for impelling fresh air through the preheater and air chamber to the. combustion chamber, a passageway tapping the flue andcomprising a trench opening transversely through the floor of the furnace between the air chamber and heating chamber, and means in said passageway for drawing gases from the flue and impelling said gases across the line of flow of products of combustion passing through the combustion chamber to the heating chamber for recirculating said gases through the heating chamber mixed with fresh products of combustion,

8. A furnace of the character described, comprising a horizontal combustion chamber and a vertical heating chamber in communication with the rear end of the combustion chamber, fiues opening from opposite sides of the heating chamber at points remote'from the combustion chamber, a passageway extending transversely beneath the combustion chamber and communicating with said flues at its opposite ends, a trench paralleling the passageway, opening through the floor of the furnace and a checkered wall for passing gases from the passageway to thetrench, fans in said passageway for drawing gases from the fines and impelling the same through the trench, preheaters in said flues between the passageway and said stack outlet, and means for impelling fresh air through the preheaters and air chamber to the combustion chamber.

9. A furnace of the character described, comprising a horizontal combustion chamber and a vertical heating chamber communicating with the rear end of the combustion chamber, an air chamber at the front end of the combustion chamber divided vertically to provide separate compartments, each compartment having a checkered wall through wnich communication is afforded with the combustion chamber, a burner in each of said compartments having'nozzles extended through the checkered walls for delivery into the combustion chamber, a trench arranged transversely of the combustion chamber and o; ning through the bottom thereof, flues leading from opposite sides of the heating chaaber, a passageway beneath the combust on chamber and communicating with said fines, a checkered wall separating the passageway from said trench, means for drawing from said flues and impelling the same through said trench across the line of flow of products of combustion through the combustion chamber for recirculation through the heating chamber mixed with fresh products of combustion, preheaters in said fines between the passageway and stack outlet, and means for conducting fresh air through the preheaters to the air chamber.

10. In a furnace of the class described, walls enclosing a chamber including a combustion zone and a heating chamber, a floor extending inwardly from the front wall and constituting a floor of the combustion Zone, a floor in the plane of the first-named floor extending rearwardly and constituting the floor of the heating chamber and downwardly extending walls producin a recess between and beneath the level of said floors, one of said walls having apertures, and means delivering heated gases from the heating chamber through said apertures into the recess.

11. In a furnace structure, walls and an offset roof enclosing a chamber including a combust on zone and a heating chamber, and a floor having spaced parts and a recessed portion between and beneath the level of said parts, the rear wal of the recessed portion having apertures, and means delivering heated gases through said apertures to be baffled by the front wall of the recess and delivered upwardly through the recesses in the floor into the heating zone.

12. A furnace of the character described, comprising a horizontal combustion chamber and a vertical heating chamber in communication with the rear end of the combustion chamber, flues opening from opposite sides of the heating chamber at points remote from the combustion chamber, a passageway extending transversely beneath the combustion chamber and communicating with said fines at its opposite ends, a trench paralleling the passageway, opening through the floor of the furnace and a checkered wall for passing gases from the passageway to the trench, a fan at each end of the passageway for drawing gases from a respective fine and impelling the same through the trench, a damper in each end of the passageway providing separate control of flow from the flues, preheaters in said flues between the passageway and said stack outlet, and means for impelling fresh air through the preheaters and air chamber to the combustion chamber.

13. A furnace of the character described, comprising a horizontal combustion chamber and a vertical heatingchamber in communication with the rear end of the combustion chamber, fines opening from opposite sides of the heating chamber at points remote from the combustion chamber, a passageway eX tending transversely beneath the combustion chamber and communicating with said lines at its opposite ends, a trench paralleling the passageway, opening through the floor of the furnace and a checkered wall for passing gases from the passageway to the trench, a fan at each end of the passageway for drawing gases from a respective flue and impelling the same through the trench, a damper in each endof the passageway providing separate control of flow from the fiues, preheaters in said flues between the passageway and said stack outlet, means for impelling fresh air through the preheatersandair chamber to the combustion chamber, and a damper in each flue between the respective preheater and the chamber stack outlet. I

14. A furnace of the character described comprising communicating combustion and v heating chambers, a trench located below the level of the furnace floor and opening therethrough, a fiue leading from the heating chamber, and a conduit opening from said I flue and to said trench whereby flue gases are mixed with fresh products of combustion in the combustion chamber and recirculated through the heating chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WARD T. BARKER. 

